1. Field
Embodiments of the disclosure concern a protector device for tubular goods. More specifically, embodiments of the disclosure relate to a device to protect the ends of the tubes that are exposed to impact loads and require protection to avoid damage to threads or bevels of the tubular goods. Particular applications for the end protector device are for tubes for the oil industry, OCTG, and line pipes.
2. Description of the Related Art
The petroleum and natural gas industries routinely employ tubular pipes for the transportation of petroleum and natural gas. Problematically, however, such pipes may become damaged during shipping and/or handling. For example, if a pipe contacts another object with sufficient force, the pipe may deform, crack, or both. Such damage may render the pipe unsuitable for its intended application, due to a change in geometry or inability to contain its contents without leaking.
To address these issues, tube protectors have been developed to protect tubes from impact damage. However, in the case of pipes having Product Specification Level (PSL) PSL-2 and PSL-3, most tube protectors available in the market do not meet the impact resistance requirements stated in ISO rule 11960, Annex I, “Petroleum and natural gas industries—Steel pipes for use as casing or tubing for wells”, concerning technical delivery conditions for steel pipes.
ISO rule 11960 defines two different impact tests, an axial test using an iron rod of 1.5 inches as indenter and another test that uses a level contact surface, on which a load is applied at about 45° from the tube direction. Both tests are very demanding and most thread protectors in the market do not comply with these tests satisfactorily. For example, the tubes for the oil industry, or OCTG tubes, and line pipes, are huge steel masses. In circumstances where tubes such as these are in motion, impact with other objects causes damage to the ends of the pipes. In most of these cases, the objects are comparable to the steel rods of 1.5 inches employed in ISO rule 11960. Thus, damage to the ends of the tube might be inhibited if the tube or the other object deflects to avoid the impact. These characteristics have not been found in any known thread protector, or in any other comparable goods.